Saffronisation of Valluvar is to divert public attention: CPIM

The recent incident of 'saffronisation' of Tamil saint-poet Thiruvalluvar was part of the tactics of the BJP to divert people's attention from issues such as unemployment and economic slowdown, CPI (M) politburo member G Ramakrishnan said on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters here, he said the BJP, which was given a second term to rule, was neglecting the problems of the general public, which have resulted in unemployment not seen in the last 50 years, and economic and industrial slowdown.

Unable to tackle the problems, the BJP has chosen to divert the attention of the country by raising unnecessary issues like Thiruvalluvar, he said.

The Left leader termed as cheap publicity the act of the leader of Hindu Makkal Katchi, a fringe outfit, Arjun Sampath in draping the Thiruvalluvar statue near Thanjavur with a saffron shawl on Wednesday.

Sampath also performed pooja to the statue and adorned it with a rudraksha 'malai' (garland).

Ramakrishnan was here to attend the celebrations of the October Revolution being observed on this day.